December 10, 2025. In the course of his research into WWII soldiers buried in The Netherlands, Pieter soon learned that many Canadians who lost their lives during the Battle of the Scheldt are not only buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom in The Netherlands, but are also buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium.
While most of the men buried in Adegem died during the operations for the clearance of the south bank of the Scheldt, many Canadians who lost their lives elsewhere in Belgium were also brought here for burial. Out of 848 Canadians buried here, 12 are from Prince Edward Island, and this spring an appeal went out in the local media for photos and information on the soldiers.
Pieter’s research results are faster than I can keep up with, and so several of the graves we visited during our 2025 European War Memorial Tour were for soldiers whose stories have yet to be told. One of these is the subject of this posting….
….Steve Gallant’s niece had a photo of her uncle….
After reading about the appeal for photos in the County Line Courier newspaper, Pauline Stewart of New Annan, Prince Edward Island contacted us, writing that “…we follow your memorial trail column. In the last edition my uncle was mentioned….” Her uncle was Joseph Stephen ‘Steve’ GALLANT, of Piusville, who was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles when he lost his life on October 11, 1944 at the age of 29.
At the time of Pauline’s email, we were still in Europe. We sent her a photo taken of her uncle’s grave, and explained that Pieter would give her a call once we were home again. She replied with a surprise. “…By the way the Two Bulger Boys from Foxley River are my husband’s uncles…”
Last year, a two-part series on Harold ‘Hal’ Gabriel BULGER, who is buried in Adegem, and his brother Lawrence William BULGER, who is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, was published. (You can read Lawrence’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/08/19/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-bulger-brothers-part-2-the-wwii-stretcher-bearer-from-foxley-river-killed-during-the-battle-of-bienen/ and Hal’s at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/08/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-bulger-brothers-part-i-the-wwii-soldier-from-foxley-river-killed-during-the-battle-of-moerbrugge/)
Pauline and Charles Stewart with Pieter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
A few months later, we had a chance to meet with Pauline and her husband Charles. Pauline explained that her father, John P. Gallant, was Steve’s brother. Another brother, Vincent, also served during WWII, but survived. “…Steve was the groomsman at the marriage of my parents….”
She recalled that “….Steve was on leave right after I was born in August 1944, and he died a few months later….”
Born in Piusville, Prince Edward Island on July 31, 1915, Joseph Stephen ‘Steve’ GALLANT was the son of Archie and Jannie Gallant. He had 5 brothers and 1 sister.
….Steve enlisted in 1942…
Joseph Stephen ‘Steve’ Gallant. (Photo Courtesy of Pauline and Charles Stewart On Behalf Of The Gallant Family)
Steve originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) at the No. 6a NRMA Clearing Depot in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on May 15, 1942 and began basic training at No. 62 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in Charlottetown. At the time, he stated that he’d left school at the age of 12 after completing Grade 5, that he was working on his father’s farm in Piusville, and that he was fluent in both French and English. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)
….Steve transferred to the 5th SMAA S/L Troop…
After completing basic training on July 11, 1942, Steve was transferred to the 5th Special Mobile Anti-Aircraft Search Light Troop (5th SMAA S/L Troop) and was stationed at various airports, beginning with Ives Point, Nova Scotia, near Halifax. As explained in a Government of Canada history of the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII, the main task of this unit was “…to provide realistic training to aircrews – the terrifying experience of being ‘coned’ by enemy anti-Aircraft battery searchlights….” (See https://www.canada.ca/en/air-force/corporate/wings/14-wing/history.html)
On October 5, 1942, Steve enlisted in the Active Army in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and remained with the 5th SMAA S/L Troop. A few days later, on October 8, 1942, he was attached to No. 6 Detachment, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) in Debert, Nova Scotia, for a month.
He was next attached to No. 34 Operational Training Unit (OTU) of the Royal Air Force in Pennfield, New Brunswick. An airport had been built in 1940 to train Air Observers as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). The Operational Training Unit at the airport was used to train four crew members for World War II action: Pilot, Navigator, Wireless Air Gunner and Air Gunner. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan)
A month later, Steve was attached to No. 36 Operational Training Unit (OTU) of the Royal Air Force in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. The site for RAF Station Greenwood, which opened in 1942, had been chosen by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal Air Force for an airfield as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) due to the area having a relatively fog-free climate.
On February 2, 1943, Steve was again attached to No. 6 Detachment, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) in Debert, Nova Scotia, for a few months. Then, on May 8, 1943, he was again attached to No. 36 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Greenwood, Nova Scotia.
A month later, he was attached again to No. 34 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Pennfield, New Brunswick for 2 months before returning to No. 36 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. While in Greenwood, Steve was sent ‘On Command’ to Winnipeg, Manitoba, on October 10, 1943.
….Steve left Canada for overseas service….
On March 27, 1944, Steve was transferred to the 21st Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery, and posted to 1st Anti-Aircraft Searchlight (AA S/L) Battery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for additional training as a gunner. A few weeks later, on April 22, 1944, he was sent to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia in preparation for overseas duty.
Steve was granted embarkation leave from May 5 to 9, 1944. It must have been a bittersweet time as he didn’t return back until May 12, 1944, resulting in the forfeiture of 3 days pay and allowance and being confined to barracks for 4 days.
On May 20, 1944, Steve was sent to the No. 1 Training Battalion of the Canadian Infantry Corps in Debert, Nova Scotia for final training and preparation for overseas service. On July 21, 1944, he was transferred to the Training Brigade Group in Debert. He was granted another leave from August 3 to 15, 1944, in what turned out to be the last time he would ever see his family again.
On August 29, 1944, Steve left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on September 4, 1944 he was assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).
He wasn’t in the United Kingdom even a month when he was transferred to the X4 Reinforcement List for the Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG), part of the 13th Battalion, 21st Army Group, on October 1, 1944 and sent to Northwest Europe, arriving a day later.
….Steve lost his life during the Battle of the Leopold Canal….
Map showing the Battle for the Leopold Canal. (Map source: Little Black Devils: A History of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles)
On October 10, 1944, Steve was transferred to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, joining the Regiment in the vicinity of the dike by Graaf Jan, The Netherlands, where they were engaged in fierce fighting during the Battle of the Leopold Canal on the border between The Netherlands and Belgium.
The War Diary for October 10, 1944 for the Royal Winnipeg Rifles stated that the Commanding Officer had “… received orders to occupy the Southern approaches to the village of GRAAF JAN. With A Company giving covering fire, B Company succeeded in reaching the objectives at 1500 hrs. Superior enemy forces in the village forced the company to withdraw when ammunition was getting low….”
The War Diary for October 11, 1944 noted numerous casualties. “…Cloudy and cool with slight rain in the afternoon. Visibility poor. During the morning A Company assisted the Regina Rifles in destroying an enemy held pill box. Another C Company patrol to GRAAF JAN failed to contact the enemy…. Enemy shelling was slightly less intense than during the first three days. Small Arms fire continued to make it extremely difficult and dangerous to move about. Supplies and casualties were still ferried across the Canal. Capt H.C. Chadderton of C Company and Lt L. Mendels of B Company were among the numerous casualties for the day….”
Unfortunately, Steve was one of the ‘numerous casualties’ referred to in the war diary. He was 29 years old.
….Steve is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem….
Steve is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium. We visited his grave on a very hot Sunday this past May, where Pieter placed Acadian, Prince Edward Island, and Canadian flags in remembrance.
Pieter by the grave of Joseph Stephen ‘Steve’ Gallant. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
….Steve’s mother wanted answers….
On November 13, 1944, a distraught and upset Jannie Gallant – Steve’s mother – wrote to the Department of National Defence, asking questions that so many mothers of soldiers must have had. “….I received a telegram on October 20 stating that …” Steve had been killed on October 11. “…We haven’t received any more news since. It makes a very sad house. My husband has been in ill health since 1933. It was a great shock to him and also to me...”
She explained that they had received two letters from him once he left Canada. “…We received a letter from him on the 29th of September and he was still in England, and we received one that was written on October the 7th and he was already in Belgium…”
Then came the hard question and a query as to whether he was really dead. “…I want to know how much training that boy had to be sent that soon to Belgium as a rifleman with no training as a rifleman. I hope that the boy is still living as he was a great help to his father and also to myself….”
She ended by saying that “…I want to know the particulars of him if he is dead or living….”
Mrs Gallant did receive a reply from Lt Cameron, Military Secretary, on November 18, 1944, offering sympathies and explaining that Steve had “…received careful training during the period he was in England and that he would not have been permitted to proceed until he was declared trained…”
The reality was that training couldn’t fully prepare a soldier for actual combat. To make things worse, Steve had been sent to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in the midst of a battle, with not even the chance to get to know the men in the Company he was assigned to.
Thank you to Pauline and Charles Stewart for providing photos and information on Pauline’s uncle. If you have a story to tell, or can provide a photo of one of the soldiers from Prince Edward Island buried in Adegem, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.
© Daria Valkenburg
….The 12 soldiers from Prince Edward Island who are buried in Adegem….
- Harold ‘Hal’ Gabriel BULGER of Foxley River was serving with the Algonquin Regiment when he was killed during the Battle of Moerbrugge in Belgium on September 10, 1944, at the age of 26.
- Charles John ACORN of Peters Road was serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders when he lost his life on October 15, 1944 at the age of 22. A poor quality newspaper photo was found.
- William Henry DEVEAUX of Dundee was serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders when he lost his life on October 16, 1944 at the age of 23.
- Joseph Stephen GALLANT of Piusville was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles when he lost his life on October 11, 1944 at the age of 29.
- Cecil Aneas MACDONALD of Glencoe was serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment when he lost his life on October 15, 1944 at the age of 23. NOTE: The Belgian family that adopted his grave would like to be in contact with a family member.
- Joseph ‘Joe’ Augustine MACKENNA of Newton Cross was serving with Auxiliary Service as a member of the Knights of Columbus when he drowned in Belgium on June 21, 1945 at the age of 41.
- Adolphus Peter MCCORMACK of New Zealand was serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment when he lost his life on October 30, 1944 at the age of 25.
- James Hector MUNN of New Zealand was serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment, 1st Battalion, when he lost his life on October 30, 1944 at the age of 28.
- Valmont PERRY of St. Louis was serving with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders when he lost his life on October 21, 1944 at the age of 26. No photo has been found of him to date.
- Allan Rattenbury READ of Read’s Corner was serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment when he lost his life on October 27, 1944 at the age of 21. A poor quality newspaper photo was found.
- John James SAUNDERS of Bloomfield was serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment when he lost his life on September 22, 1944 at the age of 27. No photo has been found of him to date.
- Joseph Roy SILLIPHANT of Summerside was serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders when he lost his life on October 27, 1944 at the age of 28. A poor quality newspaper photo was found.
….Want to follow our research?…
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4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats. Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/
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On The War Memorial Trail Research Project........ with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg 